Repairing VA’s Broken Claims System
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Dear Friends of SWAN,
I’m heading to DC today with our dedicated National Peer Support Helpline caseworker, Rebekah Havrilla, to meet with policymakers and senior members of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about the issue of Military Sexual Trauma claims reform. I am especially looking forward to meeting with Representative Chellie Pingree, whose landmark bill, H.R. 930, will revise an unfair claims policy that currently discriminates against Military Sexual Trauma survivors. It is critical that this legislation get approved.
Last year, SWAN and the ACLU sued the VA and the Department of Defense for documentation related to military rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment and domestic violence. While not all documentation has come in, and we have yet to release our full findings, our initial reports suggest that the Veterans Benefits Administration has a strong bias against veterans whose claims are associated with “Military Sexual Trauma,” a euphemism for the psychological trauma associated with military rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment.
We intend to make clear that under no circumstances is it okay for the VA to build a two-tiered system, one for mental health patients whose suffering is related to combat trauma, and another for those whose suffering is related to military sexual violence. Under no circumstances is it okay for our policymakers to stand idly by while the federal government routinely denies survivors of military rape, sexual assault or sexual harassment the benefits owed to them by federal law.
We will not rest until the federal government fixes this gross disparity and gives all wounded warriors the benefits they deserve.
We look forward to reporting back on all of these meetings next week.
Thank you for your incredible support,
Anu Bhagwati
Executive Director, Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN)
VA making it easier to obtain sex-assault disability benefits – The Portland Press Herald
Anu, Thank you so very much! Yes I agree 100% trauma is trauma! Actually I would be safe to say that trauma from MST can be worse than from combat.. Not to ever take away from any soldier Terri
This is fantastic work! Much like the other issue you are working regarding the mental health counseling and security clearances, there should be no distinction or discrimination between pain experienced as the result of combat and that experienced as the result of a sexual assault. Pain is pain. Trauma is trauma. They both need to be addressed. Having suffered one does not make you more or less worthy of treatment than one suffering from the other.